The “abandonment” of Antonis Samaras is spreading, just hours before the ND Disciplinary Board meeting, which is expected to confirm his second expulsion from the governing party. In addition to the Prime Minister, who made it clear that ND “does not play with political stability,” even officials who had previously had a political relationship with him hastened to distance themselves from the former Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Nicosia is also deeply upset over his “flirtations” with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during their well-known meeting in Budapest.
At the same time, none of the MPs from ND who maintain political ties with Antonis Samaras has spoken out following his interview in To Vima on Sunday.
“The Greeks tried the populists, and it didn’t go well. What they want now is stability,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis at a Bloomberg event, again taking a jab at Antonis Samaras, while adding that the ND has a comfortable and stable government majority.
“The ND doesn’t have Symbilides,” said the government spokesperson, thus reminding everyone of the fall of Constantine Mitsotakis’s government by Antonis Samaras in September 1993, while also, like Kyriakos Mitsotakis, clarifying that early elections are not on the table.
Meanwhile, Zacharias Zoupi, the research director at Opinion Poll, assessed that Antonis Samaras’s expulsion from ND will not have significant polling consequences. He pointed out, among other things, that his divergence didn’t begin yesterday. “In my opinion, he significantly contributed to the shift of voters from ND to right-wing parties during the European elections, such as Greek Solution, Niki, Voice of Reason, and others. So, part of his base has already voted for another party.
The second observation is that, as of November, in the most recent polls, it’s noted that despite all the problems ND has, particularly with its economic performance, it remains in the 29-31 zone in voting intention, which is about the same or slightly higher than during the European elections. The third point is that what has happened, which was predictable under certain conditions and handling, could strengthen centrist forces that had distanced themselves recently for other reasons,” said Zoupi.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a message that the government’s majority in Greece is stable and that holding elections in 2027 is a personal commitment of his, during a discussion with journalist Francine Lacqua on Monday afternoon, as part of a Bloomberg event titled “The New Era of Greek Banking.”
“We have 2.5 years based on the people’s mandate to implement our policies,” the Prime Minister continued, adding that “this means we don’t need to engage in complicated political alliances.”
When asked about Samaras’s expulsion, Mitsotakis responded, “What happened, happened. The decision was clearly explained. My job is to look at the future. We have a comfortable parliamentary majority. The last thing we want is to play with political stability. It is a sad, one-time decision. We leave it behind.”
In this context, Mitsotakis also added, “Investors trust Greece because it is risk-free.”
The Prime Minister also noted, “We can move forward with tax cuts as long as we continue to be effective with tackling tax evasion,” expressing confidence that “we will perform better than some expect in terms of growth.”
Samaras: Asked about the early debt repayment, he said that “it shows the stability of the economy,” announcing that “we are planning payments of 5 billion in 2025.”
“We still remember the trauma of the financial crisis, and we must address the issues we have inherited. Fiscal discipline is the foundation upon which our policies are built,” said Mr. Mitsotakis, emphasizing that “if you look at the budget, we had an increase in revenues with a reduction in taxes, and why did this happen? Because the economy is stable.”
The privatization cycle is coming to an end, the Prime Minister also said.
Asked about the phone call with Donald Trump, he said, “I spoke with President Trump, we had a friendly discussion, he acknowledged the significant progress of the Greek economy with the reduction of taxes and the creation of a business-friendly environment. We discussed the strategic cooperation between Greece and the USA. Bilateral relations are extremely strong. We have a defense cooperation with the USA that will expand, and we have a strong economic cooperation, as you can see from the American capital being invested in Greece.”
Mr. Mitsotakis was also asked about Trump’s intention to impose tariffs, to which he responded, “They don’t create positive conditions. A trade war between the USA and Europe will not help either side.”
The Prime Minister also addressed energy issues, stating emphatically that “we do not have a European energy market; we have something that resembles it. It is unacceptable that countries in Southeastern Europe are penalized because of an algorithm that protects the wealthier countries. The reduction of energy prices must concern everyone. We are pioneers in the energy transition, but we still have not seen the corresponding benefits.”
In the same context, he added, “I fail to understand why the same product costs differently in Greece and in Europe. This is not a unified market.”
Bloomberg’s reporter asked Kyriakos Mitsotakis about Trump’s choices regarding the composition of his government, with the Greek Prime Minister specifically mentioning the new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, saying, “It’s good that he understands the complexity of the situation in our region.”
“It’s difficult to explain that governance is not easy in the times we live in. In 2023, we increased our percentages because we implemented our commitments. People in such times want to feel safe. To find solutions in such a chaotic period and tell them that as a country, we can and will do these things is part of our job. Our number one commitment is to increase wages and reduce taxes. We also want to support the middle class and help them understand growth,” Mr. Mitsotakis continued.
“We must address this rise of populism and explain to the citizens what they should expect,” continued the Prime Minister, adding that “Greeks have tried populists, and it didn’t go well. What they want now is stability.”
Nicosia’s Reaction
In response to Antonis Samaras’ references to “flirtations” in Budapest during the meeting between Christodoulides and Erdogan, with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama present, Nicosia reacted today.
During his intervention, the Director of the Office of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Viktor Papadopoulos, clarified that Cyprus does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries, especially not Greece. However, regarding the “flirtations” that involved Nikos Christodoulides, he emphasized that it was a discussion with substance and rejected Antonis Samaras’ remarks.
“For the first time since 1963, a Turkish President sat down to discuss, even over a coffee, with the President of Cyprus,” said the Director of the Office of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, noting that it is Cyprus’ aim, within the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem within the agreed framework, to “speak directly with Turkey,” which refuses dialogue with the legitimate government of the Republic of Cyprus. It wasn’t flirtation, he stressed. “It was a discussion.”
Asked about Samaras’ references to behind-the-scenes maneuvers to impose an unfair solution to the Cyprus issue, Viktor Papadopoulos stated that nothing exists in the background. He emphasized that there is only the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations, which helped the UN Secretary-General to progress on Cyprus. He also mentioned the continuous efforts of the Cypriot government, always within the UN process, and the connection of Turkey’s EU accession path with Cyprus, following these efforts and the strategy being implemented.
“Fifty years is a lot,” he concluded, explaining that each passing day creates new facts, and he pointed out that what is happening in our region shows that there are no “frozen conflicts.”
Attack on Those Who “Hijack, Monopolize, and Hypocritically Display Patriotism”
Kostas Tasoulas launched an attack on those who “hijack, monopolize, and hypocritically display patriotism” at a special event for Spyros Moustaklis held at the Hellenic Parliament.
His reference is interpreted as an indirect criticism of former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras for what he said in an interview with To Vima on Sunday, which led to his expulsion from New Democracy.
“Spyros Moustaklis, who from now on will be housed here in the Hellenic Parliament, looks at us with sweetness, with his open eyes, with the halo of trial, with the soldier’s weapon, with the weapon of the National Army but of the democratic regime. The soldier of constitutional obligation, of the 1952 Constitution, which was abolished by the dictatorship, and in its final article stated that ‘the observance of this constitution is dedicated to the patriotism of the Greeks.’ And this dedication, Moustaklis received, honored, and fulfilled,” said Mr. Tasoulas, adding, “From whom? From those who have made patriotism a show, this is still going on today. Not just from those who hijacked patriotism, this still goes on today. Not just from those who monopolized patriotism, this still goes on today. But from those who turned patriotism into revenge for those they believed did not meet the criteria. Well, so, show-off patriotism, hijacking, monopolizing, and much more, vengeful and punitive patriotism, is not patriotism, it is hypocrisy and barbarism.”
It should be noted that during the special event, the work of the renowned engraver Tassos, “Colonel Spyros Moustaklis 1974,” was presented, which was donated to the Hellenic Parliament by his wife Christina and daughter Natalia Moustakli.
Mr. Tasoulas spoke about the patriotic actions of Spyros Moustaklis, emphasizing:
“Spyros Moustaklis, who from now on will be housed here in the Hellenic Parliament, looks at us with sweetness, with his open eyes, with the halo of trial, with the soldier’s weapon, with the weapon of the National Army, but of the democratic regime. A soldier of constitutional duty, of the abolished 1952 Constitution, which the dictatorship destroyed, and which in its final article stated that ‘the observance of this constitution is dedicated to the patriotism of the Greeks.’ And Moustaklis received and honored this dedication, fulfilling it. By whom? By those who have made patriotism a show, which still continues today. Not just by those who have appropriated patriotism, this continues today. Not just by those who have monopolized patriotism, this continues today. But by those who turned patriotism into vengeance for those who, in their opinion, did not meet the requirements. Well then, show-off patriotism, appropriation, monopolization, and especially punitive and vengeful patriotism, is not patriotism, it is barbarism. And this barbarism, Moustaklis tasted it for 47 days in the EAT-ESA detention cells. And not only did he taste it, but it also had a serious impact on his health, leaving him with aphasia, with a near-total inability to speak. Inability to speak? Well, today he speaks to us, today he speaks to us with kindness and encourages us, through this famous work of Tassos, encourages us with the dedication that the Constitution makes to our patriotism, for its protection, never to forget this blessed, and I hope not unbearable, dedication.”
He also noted that the unveiling of the work coincided with the 51st anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising, where Moustaklis went until his death, and although he could not speak, he could express himself.
“Moustaklis did not self-declare himself a fighter, as many of us often do for ourselves today. Moustaklis is a fighter because he suffered, and because he took on this cost with sweetness in his eyes and not vengefulness, he took on this cost because he knew that democracy, to avoid being paralyzed, must be combative, and when it is combative, it costs those who defend it,” emphasized the President of the Parliament.
He further added that the work is displayed in the corridor leading to the Senate, alongside another work by A. Tassos, “17 November,” which he began creating three days after the Polytechnic Uprising, with the “Code of Gortyn,” the first written legal code in Europe, and the portrait of the philhellene Ambrosios Firminos Didotus, a great printer who helped the Greek War of Independence in 1821 by establishing a printing press, giving voice to Greek letters. “Thus, Moustaklis in this corridor, ladies and gentlemen, coexists with the noblest qualities of human nature, with legislation, with culture, and with freedom, for which he fought not with words, but at a cost, and today he rightfully, truly belongs to the homeland,” concluded Mr. Tasoulas.
Spyros Moustaklis’ daughter, Mrs. Natalia Moustakli, in her greeting, mentioned that the work passed into her family’s ownership through a donation from the artist’s wife, the visual artist Loukia Magiorou. She also announced that a commemorative publication has been prepared for the event and read short excerpts from it, written by the wife of Colonel Moustaklis, Mrs. Christina Moustakli, Mrs. Irini Orati, President of the Society of Fine Arts A. Tassos, Tasos Sakellaropoulos, head of the Benaki Museum archives, which describe the image of the “fighter and saint” conveyed by the work, as well as “the feeling of sacrifice, knowing the danger,” that permeates the portrait, and a statement by A. Tassos from 1974, regarding the inspiration for the work, based on an old black-and-white photograph he had seen in a newspaper.
The event was attended by: Former President of the Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, on behalf of the Official Opposition, the 4th Vice President of Parliament and Secretary of the SYRIZA parliamentary group, Mrs. Olga Gerovasili, the President of PASOK, Mr. Nikos Androulakis, the Vice Presidents of Parliament, Mr. Ioannis Plakiotakis and Mr. Athanasios Bouras, the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr. Nikos Papathanasis, the Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum, Mrs. Sophia Voultepsi, former President of Parliament, Mr. Apostolos Kaklamanis, on behalf of the New Left, MP Mrs. Peti Perka, MPs Evangelos Apostolakis, Elena Akrita, Nadia Giannakopoulou, Georgios Stamatis, Vassilios Ypsilantis, former MPs Giorgos Anomeritis, Giorgos Lianis, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houfis, the General Secretary of Parliament Vassilios Bagios, the Ambassador of Cyprus, Mr. Stavros Avgoustidis, Minister-Counsellor – Representative of the South Korean Ambassador, a representative of the Mayor of the Sacred City of Messolonghi, and many others.
